This is a savory quiche filled with browned ground beef, caramelized onions, and crumbled Roquefort, all set in an egg-and-cream custard inside a homemade shortcrust shell. It takes about 80 minutes start to finish and feeds six as a main course. The Roquefort does the heavy lifting on flavor, so the beef stays simple — no long ingredient list, no special skills required.
Before you start
Two things determine whether this quiche works. First, blind-baking the crust — that means baking it with weights before adding any filling. Skip this step and the bottom stays raw and soggy under the custard. Line the shell with parchment, fill it with dried beans or rice, and bake it as the recipe directs; the 20 minutes of pre-baking is not optional. Second, make sure the beef mixture has cooled for at least 5 minutes before you pour the egg-and-cream custard over it. Hot filling starts cooking the eggs on contact, which gives you scrambled patches instead of a smooth, set custard. Both steps are easy — they just need to happen in the right order.
About the ingredients
- Roquefort: This is a sharp, salty French blue cheese made from sheep’s milk. It’s sold in most supermarket cheese sections. Taste a small piece before you cook — it’s stronger than most blue cheeses, so you’ll know what to expect in the finished dish. If you can’t find it, Gorgonzola or any creamy blue cheese works as a direct swap.
- 85% lean ground beef: The fat content matters here. Leaner beef (90%+) can turn dry and grainy after browning. The 85% lean gives you enough fat to keep the meat moist and to carry flavor into the custard.
- Heavy cream: Don’t substitute half-and-half or milk — the custard needs the fat in heavy cream to set properly and hold its texture when sliced.
- Fresh vs. dried thyme: Either works. Fresh thyme has a brighter flavor; dried is slightly more concentrated. The recipe accounts for this with the quantities given — skip the garnish of extra thyme sprigs on top, not worth the extra dish.
Leftovers and meal prep
Cooled quiche keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered tightly. Reheat individual slices in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 10–12 minutes — this keeps the crust from going soft, which microwaving tends to do. You can also freeze the fully baked and cooled quiche: wrap slices individually in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. If you want to get ahead, the pastry dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept wrapped in the fridge, and the beef-and-onion filling can be cooked and refrigerated a day ahead — just bring it close to room temperature before assembling.
Common problems and fixes
- Custard is watery or hasn’t set after the stated bake time: Oven temperatures vary. Give it an extra 5–8 minutes and check by gently shaking the pan — the center should wobble only slightly, like set gelatin, not slosh. A knife inserted 1 inch from the edge should come out clean.
- Filling sinks to the bottom: This usually means the beef mixture was packed in unevenly or the custard was poured in too fast. Spread the beef mixture flat, then pour the egg mixture slowly around and over it.
- Crust shrinks down the sides during blind-baking: The dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or it was stretched rather than pressed into the tin. Always chill the dough for the full 30 minutes, and ease it gently into the corners without pulling.
- Roquefort flavor disappears in the bake: Blue cheese loses punch when it melts fully into the custard. Reserve about a third of the crumbled Roquefort and scatter it on top of the custard just before the quiche goes into the oven — it stays more distinct that way.
- Ground beef releases liquid and makes the filling wet: This happens when the beef is crowded in the pan or the heat is too low. Cook it in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and don’t stir constantly — let it brown in patches. The recipe specifies cooking until moisture has evaporated; wait for that to actually happen before pulling it off the heat.
Beef Mince and Roquefort Quiche
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - preferably unbleached
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter - cold, cubed
2-3 tablespoons water - ice water, as needed to bring dough together
For the Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion - thinly sliced
8 oz ground beef (minced beef) - 85% lean recommended
1 teaspoon thyme - fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large eggs
¾ cup heavy cream- 4 oz Roquefort cheese - crumbled
Instructions
- Make the Crust: In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add cold butter and cut in using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the texture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, stirring gently, just until the dough comes together. Press into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Pre-Bake the Crust: Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Fit into 9-inch tart tin, trim edges, and prick bottom. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake for another 5 minutes to lightly golden base.
- Prepare the Filling: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until deep golden and caramelized. Add ground beef and thyme, cook until browned and moisture has evaporated (about 7 minutes). Season with pepper and let cool slightly.
- Assemble the Quiche: In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and cream until smooth. Spread beef mixture evenly into baked crust. Dot with crumbled Roquefort, then gently pour egg mixture over.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes or until puffed, golden, and just set in the center. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- For a crisper crust, brush with egg white after blind baking and return to oven for 2 more minutes before filling.
- Switch Roquefort with Gorgonzola for milder flavor or Stilton for a firmer texture.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
How do I know when the ground beef is fully cooked?
Ground beef is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — no pink should remain anywhere in the meat. In practice, cook it until every bit has turned from red or pink to brown and any liquid in the pan has cooked off.
Can I use a store-bought pie crust instead of making the pastry from scratch?
Yes, a refrigerated shortcrust or pie pastry sheet works fine here. Press it into the tart pan, trim the edges, and follow the same blind-baking steps — the pre-bake is still necessary regardless of whether the crust is homemade or bought.
My dough keeps cracking when I roll it out. What am I doing wrong?
The dough is probably too cold or too dry. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling, and if it still cracks at the edges, press the cracks back together with your fingers — shortcrust pastry is forgiving that way.
Can I make this quiche ahead and serve it the next day?
Yes, and it reheats well. Bake it fully, let it cool, then refrigerate it covered. Warm it in a 325°F (160°C) oven for about 15 minutes before serving — the texture holds up better than most baked egg dishes.
Is Roquefort safe to eat when it’s been baked?
Yes. Baking Roquefort is safe for most people. The heat kills any surface bacteria. The one exception is if you’re cooking for someone who is pregnant, immunocompromised, or has been advised by a doctor to avoid mold-ripened cheeses — in those cases, substitute a pasteurized hard blue cheese.
Try these next
- Savory British Beef Pies
- Mediterranean Lamb Feta Pie
- Wild Venison Mushroom Pies
- Savory Beef Carrot Turnovers
